Potential of the Internet as a Retailing Channel in South Africa

Abstract

This study examines the factors affecting retailers perceptions of the Internet as a potential retail channel. It examines the environmental factors as well as the organizational factors impacting on the potential of Internet retailing. Results are reported from 102 South African retailing chain organizations across all categories. The authors discuss the results and provide some guiding points for retailers who intend to use the Internet as a retailing channel in the future.     

South African Capital Structure Decisions: A Survey of Listed Companies

ABSTRACT

This paper explores the factors that influence capital structure decisions in South Africa from the perspective of the Chief Financial Officer (CFO). The results of a survey of 33 CFOs of JSE listed companies find that South African CFOs are equally likely to follow the Pecking Order and Static Trade-Off theories. However, small companies are more likely to follow the Pecking Order theory while large companies are more likely to follow the Static Trade-Off theory. In addition, the results show that South African companies are more likely to follow the Static Trade-Off theory than companies in other emerging countries.     

PURCHASING POWER PARITY IN AFRICAN COUNTRIES: FURTHER EVIDENCE FROM FOURIER UNIT ROOT TESTS BASED ON LINEAR AND NONLINEAR MODELS

This paper examines the validity of purchasing power parity hypothesis for 33 African countries using recently developed Fourier unit root tests by Christopoulos and León‐Ledesma that account for the existence of multiple breaks in the real exchange rates. The results support the evidence of the PPP in 20 countries, showing that most of the real exchange rates in the selected countries are characterised by linear or nonlinear stationary around multiple temporary mean changes.     

南社诗人周斌及其《柳溪竹枝词》考论

以南社诗人周斌的生平及其文学创作为考察对象,重点研究了其《柳溪竹枝词》的诸多题辞序跋及诗作本身所蕴含的文学、历史、民俗、语言学等方面的价值,认为周斌的经历与创作在南社中具有典型意义,南社研究应加大对社团内中小作家的关注。他们对丰富现代文学的创作生态作出了不可磨灭的贡献,也应该引起现代文学研究者的重视。     

The Motivation and Effectiveness of Gas Industry Economic Regulation in New South Wales, 1912–39

The oldest industry in Australia subjected to economic regulation is the gas supply industry in the state of New South Wales. In this paper the aims and motivation of the New South Wales Government in establishing the regulatory regime in 1912 and the subsequent effectiveness in achieving them are determined. Initially the regulatory regime was based on ad hoc arrangements, but eventually a more permanent structure was devised that effectively defused political controversy over gas market pricing and stabilised prices rather than substantially lowered them.